3 Surprisingly Common UK Marriage Visa Mistakes

A marriage visa in the UK is valid for 30 months when applied from within the UK and 33 months from outside the UK. It allows the applicant to join their spouse also known as the sponsor and live in the UK with them. If the applicant meets all the requirements, they can apply for British citizenship or an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) within a few years.

While making an application for a marriage visa, the applicant should be extra careful of all the eligibility requirements and the immigration policies. However, because the process is quite long and somewhat complicated, mistakes are often made.

Here are some surprisingly common mistakes applicant have made while applying for a marriage, spouse, or fiancé visa:

1. Invalid Bank Statements and Old Payslips

According to the immigration application financial requirements, the bank statement showing the correct amount of funds required by the home office should be submitted, no later than 28 days after the application has been made. Most applications require the funds to be shown for a minimum of six months in the bank account. It can take several days to obtain a bank statement. Some banks prefer to post the statement, which can take more time. This is a common reason for visa refusal as a lot of applicants fail to time it properly.

2. Wrong Language Test

You’d be surprised by how many times visa applications are accompanied by the wrong language test certification. Each visa requires a different type of language test. For student visas, the English language test is more focused on academics. For spouse or marriage visa, the home office requires an A1 level English certification, which mostly focuses on basic conversation skills. Before taking any test make sure it’s the correct one by rechecking it on the UKVI website.

3. Applying While Being a Visitor in the UK

This is a major mistake that will most certainly get the applications rejected. Some people come to the UK on a visitor visa and get married. They apply for a spouse visa while they’re still in the UK on a visitor visa. The home office clearly states that the applicant isn’t eligible for a marriage or spouse visa if they’re already in the UK on a 6 month or less Visit visa. The alternative is to apply for a Fiancé or a Proposed Civil Partner Visa.

Hire Immigration Experts

Common visa application mistakes can be avoided by hiring experts who have experience with UK immigration laws and procedures. Wembley Solicitors in London has years of experience in the field, which makes us one of the leading legal service providers for immigration and visa application.

Contact us today at 020 3417 3700 for assistance with spouse visa, Fiancé Visa, immigration appeals, and more.